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UAE-based Indian students honoured

ABU DHABI — Twenty-two students from various Indian schools in the UAE were honoured with the title ‘Sastra Pratibha 2007’ at the Science India Forum’s (SIF) award ceremony — ‘Science India Gala 2007’.

Forty-seven students, who had scored more than 80 per cent marks in ‘Sastra Pratibha’ contest conducted in May, were also given awards and certificates at the award ceremony at Al Jaheli Theatre of the Armed Forces Officers Club in the capital on Thursday.

The Science India Forum – UAE (SIF-UAE) is a voluntary organisation comprising professionals in the fields of science and technology, education, prominent members of the business community and philanthropists in the UAE. On its educational front, it is associated with the National Science Movement of India.

The main objectives of the SIF-UAE are to encourage young talents to take up science as their career and to introduce them to the rich scientific heritage of India.

For the first time in the UAE, SIF-UAE, in association with the National Science Movement of India, Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and IDEA Abu Dhabi, conducted ‘Sastra Pratibha’ contest, a talent search examination, at 26 Indian schools in May.

Major-General (retd) Khalid Abdullah Al Bu-Ainnan, former Commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, inaugurated ‘Science India Gala 2007’ in the capital.

Major Al Bu-Ainnan said, “India will be a wonder in the scientific world and will emerge as a major player in the field of science and technology in this century. India is blessed with well-known scientists. Your former president, Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, is one of the very rare personalities in this field.”

“We can identify new scientists through these types of programmes,” another speaker on the occasion, Dr Abdulla Hussain Dawood Al Azdi, former Minister Plenipotentiary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.

“Together with major inventions, we must explore the possibilities of identifying innovative and talented scientists. Science and technology play a pivotal role in the development of a country. It is a huge area, ranging from activities promoting basic as well as high-end research and development of cutting-edge technologies to meeting the technological needs of the common man, said Dr Majoj Patairiya, Director of India’s National Council for Science and Technology Communication.

In the absence of Prof P. K. Abdul Aziz, Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, who was supposed to be the chief guest at the ceremony, a video recording of his speech was played.

First Secretary of Indian Embassy S. K. Nangia, V. P. N. Nampoori, professor of photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Vivekananda Pai, spokesman of the National Science Movement, India, Dr B. R. Shetty, patron of SIF-UAE, and Yusuf Ali M. A., member of the board of directors of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also spoke.

Cultural programmes, depicting the Indo-Arab culture and choreographed by Asha Nair, added colour to the function.

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